Daniel l



(No Model.) Q

D. L. OHEEK.

VEHICLE SHAFTS.

No. 360,204. 0 Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

' N. PETER5. PholoLllhngnphcr, Washinglon. D c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

DANIEL L. GHEEK, OF GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA.

VEHICLE-SHAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360.204, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed August 23, 1886. Serial No. 211,681. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL L. CHEEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in the county of Hall and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in poles and shafts for vehicles; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of my invention, showing the shafts. Fig. 2 is a similar View of the same, showing the tongue or pole. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sec tion taken on the line w on of 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail rear elevation.

A B represent a pair of parallel cross-bars, which are connected together by means of blocks 0 on their under sides, near their ends, and by a block, D, on the under side of the transverse bars, at the center thereof. The said blocks 0 D are provided with longitudinal openings, which are adapted to receive the rear ends of shafts E and of a pole or tongue, F. The said pole or tongue is inserted in the opening in the block D, and the said shafts are adapted to be inserted in the openings in the blocks 0.

G represents brace rods or straps which extend transversely across the under sides of the blocks 0 and D, and have their extremities bolted to the under sides of the cross-bars A and B. Bolts H extend through the said bracestrap and through the blocks,and also through the crossbars, so as to bolt the said bracestraps, blocks, and cross-bars firmly together. On the under sides of the blocks,and arranged between the straps G, are bolted transverse straps I by means of bolts K, which also extend through the blocks and the cross-bars.

The blocks 0 and D form housings or boxes to receive the rear end of the pole and the shafts, and the said pole and shafts are provided on their under sides with spring-detents L, having engaging-shoulders M on their under sides at their rear ends, to engage the straps G at the rear ends of the blocks when the said pole or shafts are inserted therein.

The cross-bar Ais provided with rearward extending eyes N, adapted to be attached to the couplings on the front shaft-axle of the vehicle, and the crossbar D is provided at its extremities on its upper side with hooks N for the whiffletrees. The center of the said crossbar D is provided with an opening or a hook for the attachment of a whiffletree.

When only one horse is to be attached to the vehicle, the pole F is removed from the block D by first pressing upwardly on the rear end of its springdetent, so as to cause the latter to disengage the strap G at the rear end of the block. This leaves the shafts E attached under the ends of the crossbars, and adapted for the attachment of a single horse to the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 1. to attach two horses to the vehicle, the shafts are removed from the blocks 0 and the pole is attached to the block D. The whiffietrees for the double team are attached to the hooks N, and a double-tree is thus entirely dispensed with.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction hereinbefore described, as it is evident that modifications may be made there in without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I clai1n- 1. The combination of the cross-bars having the blocks or housings with the pole and shafts adapted to be secured in the housings,and provided with spring automatic detents to lock the same in the housings, substantially as described.

2. The Crossbars, one or 1'nore,in combination with blocks or housings O D for the poles \Vhcn it is desired or shafts, located at the ends and the center of 9;

the cross-bars, and straps G, to attach the blocks or housings to the under side of the cross-bars, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixcd my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL L. CHEEK.

\Vitnesscs:

J. D. SALIORS, F. M. TUMLIN. 

